Wounds Both Old and New
by Shedemei
Summary: After her escape from Amon, Team Avatar and Tenzin decide to allow Korra to stay briefly with former police chief Lin Bei Fong in order to be near the hospital and hide from Amon and the Equalists. After Korra wakes, an unlikely bond begins to form. Lin/Korra femmeslash.
1. Part 1

Wounds Both Old and New

Summary: After her escape from Amon, Team Avatar and Tenzin decide to allow Korra to stay briefly with former police chief Lin Bei Fong in order to be near the hospital and hide from Amon and the Equalists. After Korra wakes, an unlikely bond begins to form.

Disclaimer: You know I don't own _The Legend of Korra_ because if I did, Lin and Korra would be together, or at least bffs.

Pairings: Lin/Korra ("Korralin")

Author's Notes: My muses are incorrigible bastards.

Also, I wrote this before I saw June 16th's episode. Just...keep that in mind, I guess.

* * *

The sound of a weak moan drifted into the kitchen from the bedroom, signaling to Lin that Korra had woken at last. The girl had slept for nearly eighteen hours solid, by Lin's estimation. After the older Fire Ferret boy—Mako, if Lin recalled correctly—had placed Korra in Oogi's saddle, the entire assembled group flew on Oogi's back to the hospital to have Korra examined. For after Korra had first been transferred from the back of her polar bear-dog to the sky bison, she had ostensibly tried to answer Lin's question about how she escaped. She mumbled disjointedly about receiving a message from the spirit world, being locked in a box, Tarrlok's bending being taken by Amon, Tarrlok's father…and being bloodbent. She eventually kept repeating "bloodbending" and "Tarrlok" amidst words too garbled and quiet to understand, then dissolved into tears. Korra's three friends had surrounded her, all wearing expressions of concern that devolved into panic when Korra fell quiet, as if asleep, and couldn't be woken.

Once at the hospital, though, the doctors had found only minor cuts and bruises on Korra, and she regained consciousness and begged to be allowed to sleep. The doctors recommended that Korra rest for at least 48 hours, particularly in light of how exhausted a body could become after being subjected to bloodbending. One of them suggested that Korra be kept for overnight observation, but considering the fact that Amon was still at large and might have tracked Korra back to Republic City, the five of them (Tenzin, Asami, the Fire Ferret boys, and Lin herself) agreed that Korra should be kept, at least temporarily, somewhere unpredictable.

That was how the responsibility of watching over the fatigued avatar fell to Lin. Her apartment was close to the hospital in case Korra would later need an emergency visit, and of course Lin could be trusted to keep Korra safe at all costs. Later, Lin would wonder why she had volunteered to watch over Korra. At the time, she had herself convinced that it was purely out of practicality; Air Temple Island and the hospital were the first two places Amon would look for Korra, and Lin was the only one of the group not living on Air Temple Island. Tenzin had weakly suggested that Lin check herself back into the hospital, but she had silenced him with a glare.

Lin had carried Korra up the two flights of stairs herself despite her remaining injuries. Her right arm seemed to be screaming in pain, and her cracked ribs had not stopped aching since they had resulted from her body being slammed into the floor of the Equalist base under the Sato mansion. She probably could have benefited from some help carrying Korra's unconscious body, but she had already done plenty of damage to herself that night by infiltrating the Equalist compound despite still being wounded; it could hardly get much worse. But she didn't want to see anyone carrying the evidence of her failure. Korra was beautifully built, equal parts femininity and power, but she felt so dead and weak in Lin's arms that carrying her was impossible to enjoy.

Lin Bei Fong had not shed a tear in years, but she felt close to it as she laid Korra's limp body down on her bed. First came her repeated failures to thwart Amon, then she had been too late to save her metalbenders from having their bending taken away, and now she had failed to save Korra. Miraculously—or perhaps not; Korra was clearly immensely talented, far more so than Lin had previously thought—the girl had escaped from both Tarrlok and Amon. But it had obviously taken a heavy toll on her. Being subjected to Tarrlok's bloodbending had been one of the most terrifying, painful feelings of Lin's life, and spirits only knew how much of it Korra had been subjected to.

Well, she might be about to find out now that Korra was awake. Lin put down her spoon next to the bowl of koi-salmon soup that she had been trying (and mostly failing) to eat and got up to see to Korra. The girl was trying to sit up and looking around, disoriented. "Chief?" Korra slurred as Lin walked in. "W…where am I?"

Lin had been plagued by lingering feelings of guilt since her decision to resign from the police force, but she felt a fresh stab of the unwelcome feeling shoot through her chest. As imperative as it was to conceal Korra from Amon, if there was one thing Korra needed at the moment, it was company. The company of her friends, most likely; people she loved and trusted, people who knew how to comfort her. Lin had saved Korra from falling to her death twice when they had battled the Equalists at the pro bending arena, but she had been hard on Korra since her first day in Republic City when Lin had misjudged Korra as a spoiled, headstrong brat who was used to getting away with anything because she was the avatar. Aside from any of the Equalists, Lin was likely the last person Korra wanted to see.

"That would be just Lin Bei Fong now, avatar." Lin tried to soften her voice as much as possible. "You've been through quite the ordeal. What is the last thing you remember?"

Korra managed to sit up and support her back against the headboard. Her hair was unkempt, her face pale, her eyes sunken…and still, she was lovely. Why did the avatar have to be so damn lovely? "Um…I…" Korra shook her head, as if clearing mental spiderwebs. "The hospital. Is that…is that where I am?"

"We were afraid Amon might be able to find you if you stayed there, so…you are in my apartment. It isn't far from the hospital." Lin had been standing in the doorway, keeping a good distance from Korra. Unsure of how to proceed but fairly certain staying away was a poor idea, Lin walked to her bedside.

"It hurts," Korra whispered, sinking back down onto the mattress. Lin suppressed the sudden wave of affection that threatened to overcome her as she watched the avatar slump, looking defeated and broken. "My head hurts. My heart hurts. Everything hurts."

Lin judged that exact moment a bad time to talk about the health risks of having one's blood bent. "You have slept for a very long time. Your headache might be due to hunger." Lin paused. "There is hot soup of you want any."

"Okay…yeah, food. Okay." Korra's voice was barely audible. Lin quickly exited and returned with a tray bearing a bowl of the same soup Lin had been eating as well as a tall glass of water. The doctors had said Korra needed to stay very well hydrated. "Thanks." Korra struggled to sit up and support herself against the headboard; Lin slipped a pillow in between Korra's back and the headboard to make it easer. "I've never felt like this before," Korra whispered. "I feel so weak."

Lin allowed herself to lightly touch Korra's hair. "Eat. You'll feel better. Also…do you take tea?"

"Um…I like it, I just don't drink it a lot. Not habitually, I guess."

"There's a tea shop in Ba Sing Se called the Jasmine Dragon that was…well, started by General Iroh. You might have heard of him."

"Yeah…the Dragon of the West. He's…um…the current leader of the Fire Nation's great-uncle, right?"

"Yes. The Jasmine Dragon began exporting some of its tea blends, There's a black tea blend called 'rejuvenation' that might help perk you up."

Korra nodded. "That sounds good." She bent over her soup, picking up her spoon. "Thank you," she added, as if it took an effort to remember to be thankful.

"Don't mention it, kid." Lin could barely believe she'd said that. That was exactly what she had said when she had saved Korra, which was of course not something to thank for; she never would have let her die, and not just because she was the avatar. Was she trying to remind Korra that she had once done something other than be harsh and cold to her? Rather than wait to see Korra's reaction to that foolish statement, Lin retreated into the kitchen to set about making the tea. She could use a hot cup of black tea herself. With the stress of being police chief, she had been tempted many a time to have herself a glass of wine when she returned home for the night, but instead she had discovered the Jasmine Dragon herbal blends. Some nights, she consumed three large mugs of tea in an hour. Since she ordinarily drank tea at night, she didn't have many of the black or white blends, but she had a few, and at the moment she would have given about anything for a steaming cup of "blackcurrant breeze" black tea.

When both teas were steeped, Lin brought both cups of tea into the bedroom, where Korra was doggedly attempting to eat her soup, but her hand was trembling so hard she could barely control the spoon. "Would you…like to drink your tea first? That might be easier."

Korra looked up at Lin with an expression that could only be described as "crestfallen". "I can't…I can barely move. Does bloodbending usually do this?"

Lin set Korra's tea down on the tray. "I don't know," she confessed. "Tarrlok used bloodbending to knock me and your friends and Tenzin unconscious, but we didn't suffer…as adverse effects."

Korra tried again to lift the spoon to her mouth, with her face only a few inches from the bowl. Her hand was still shaking, and the soup began to spill back into the bowl; unable to watch Korra suffer like that any more, Lin steadied Korra's wrist with a hand to help her actually get the soup into her mouth.

"Thanks," Korra mumbled. "Um…can I maybe have this in a mug? Until I'm a little more steady?"

Lin picked up Korra's bowl of soup and shortly returned with, as requested, an oversized mug filled with another ladle-full of soup as first portion had gone cold.

"I'm sorry I'm being such a pain." Korra slumped over the tray. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't know if it's the bloodbending, or I'm tired, or I'm hungry…I don't know, did Tarrlok do something permanent?"

Lin laid a hand on Korra's shoulder. "You were asleep for most of last night, so I don't know if you recall, but the doctor said you were just exhausted. There shouldn't be any…permanent damage." Lin heard her voice trail off as she caught sight of the cuts on Korra's cheek for at least the fifth time. Lin had seen many injuries in her time, and the injuries on Korra's face looked as if they had been made by either ice or a brutal waterbending attack. Would they scar? If they did, Korra would have scars much like Lin's. Lin wasn't sure how exactly she felt about that.

Korra lifted the mug of soup with both hands and this time was able to actually consume some of it. She sighed deeply, as if in satisfaction. "This is really good. Did you make it?"

"Yes. I've gotten very used to cooking for myself, so I've become fairly decent at it." Why had she said that? Lin was not one to wallow in self-pity. Hadn't she gone after both Korra and her metalbending squad while still injured instead of lying in the hospital thinking about how Republic City was falling into shambles thanks to her? That would have accomplished nothing, so she hadn't done it.

Fortunately, Korra didn't seem to be hearing her; she was too busy enjoying her soup. "You must have a lot of mugs."

"Well, they are very useful." Hoping Korra wouldn't feel like Lin was invading her space, Lin sat down on one corner of the mattress and began sipping her own tea. She tried and failed to stop looking at Korra over the rim of her teacup. "So, avatar…your pro bending teammate. The older boy. He is very protective of you."

Korra took a small break from steadily drinking her soup to reply. "Yeah, he's kind of a protective guy. You should see him with his brother. They were mixed up with the Triple Threat Triad a while ago, so Mako is always really careful to keep people he cares about out of trouble. I guess maybe he's starting to think of me as his little sister too, or something."

"That isn't the way he looked at you," Lin pointed out. The same way I'm trying far too hard not to look at you right now. "I saw him kiss the Sato girl, but he seemed hell-bent on finding you. Perhaps this is too forward of me, but…do you find him romantically interesting?" Please say yes. Please say yes and get me to stop thinking about how even with your hair all tousled from sleep, it still frames your cheekbones so damn perfectly.

Korra sighed. "I…I used to. But he's with Asami. I mean…I kissed him once, and I just didn't…it just didn't feel like I wanted it to." She looked up guiltily. "I guess that was too much…I could have just said yes or no."

Lin shrugged, trying to ignore the fact that Korra had brought up the concept of how it felt to kiss someone she found attractive. "You answered me." She noticed Korra hadn't touched her tea. "Do you not like your tea?"

"I like it, I'd just…I think I'd like it better with some sugar. I know it's weird for someone from the water tribe, but I've developed a real sweet tooth since I came to Republic City."

"I can bring you some." Lin got up to return to the kitchen yet again.

"Wait…um…Ms. Bei Fong?"

Lin didn't particularly want to be reminded of her lack of title at the moment, but mostly, Korra could use her given name if she wanted. "You may call me Lin."

"Okay…Lin. Um…you don't have to, you know. Wait on me. It's…I mean, maybe you resigned, but you were the chief of police, and you're…well, you're kind of imposing. It just feels weird to have you…taking care of me, I guess."

Lin paused for a moment, trying to make sure she would later be able to recall the sound of Korra speaking her given name. "Do you remember when I said that protecting Republic City is all I care about?"

Korra nodded.

"You are the avatar. As badly as I want to take down Amon without the restrictions of the laws that are in place…you are likely the city's greatest hope right now. So if you want sugar in your tea and are too exhausted to move from being abducted by a heartless bastard and escaping a complete monster, I will bring you sugar for your tea."

Lin could have sworn that Korra blushed. Spirits, she looked adorable when she did that. "Okay." Lin brought a bowl of sugar to Korra and stirred a spoonful into the teacup. "Thanks." Korra took a sip. "Mmm, much better."

Lin sat down beside Korra and returned to sipping her tea. At least with Korra right next to her, it was less tempting to sneak glances at the girl lest she be noticed. Why did she have to be drawn to Korra? Was she determined to send her life down in flames? Already Republic City was going straight to hell thanks to her incompetence in the face of the Equalist threat. But at least she had tried. Some in the city might still hold her in high regard for her effort, and her metalbenders (no, spirits, her former metalbenders…what would their lives be now? Was there nothing she could do for them after failing to rescue them in time?) still respected her. But if anyone found out she had a perverse interest in a seventeen-year-old—specifically a seventeen-year-old girl, and the avatar to boot—that would be the nail in the coffin of the Bei Fong reputation. All her mother's hard work, practically erased because Lin had been born with a propensity for abnormal attractions. Lin's grip tightened on her teacup. All right, it likely wouldn't be that severe, but it would be a blow to Lin's reputation, and the more ignorant of Republic City might blame Toph for raising Lin wrong or some other foolishness.

"Hey…Lin?"

"Yes, avatar?"

"You can call me Korra."

"All right."

"Um…you look kind of upset. Are you okay? I mean…you were injured by the Equalists, and then…well, from what I could hear last night, you kind of led the way into the base and fought chi blockers…"

"I'm fine." That was the single biggest lie Lin had ever told. Her arm was still killing her, and her ribs throbbed incessantly even under the bandage she was wearing. In addition to that, her muscles ached from the previous day's exertions; after she had discovered Korra was missing, she had suited up and run to the prison without stretching or even hydrating herself, and her body was very displeased. She literally ached to lie down and sleep, but Korra might need something. And of course, now that Korra had called her attention to her injuries, she could feel her cracked ribs more acutely than ever, sending constant undulating waves of pain through her torso. "I think…I think I have to visit the water closet."

Lin left her teacup on Korra's tray and went straight to the indoor water closet, the only place where she might have some privacy if Korra were to get up and wander. Still, she was so distracted she left the door cracked; it wasn't as if Korra could be sidetracked from her soup. Lin quickly undid the tie on her green earthbender's robes and let them fall to the floor, scrambling to undo the bandages wrapped tightly around her midsection. As the bandages came loose, Lin let out a sigh, not sure if the pain in her ribs had abated or become worse. The bandages coming off was something of a relief for her bruised skin, but her ribs may have been complaining. Lin sank to the floor, hoping to further appease her overworked body by loosening her breast bindings.

Lin was so distracted by the pain her injuries were causing her that she hadn't noticed she had been completely wrong about Korra wanting to stay in bed. Korra had been enjoying her soup immensely, but she knew something was wrong when Lin ran off immediately after being asked about her injuries. So when Lin disappeared, Korra pushed her tray of food away and tried to stand up. Her extremities had mostly stopped shaking, and she doubted she could thread a needle or write calligraphy at that point, but her equilibrium seemed to be all right. She followed Lin, feeling much steadier after a few steps. She found the interior water closet (surely Lin must have inherited much money from Toph Bei Fong to be able to afford one of those), the door left slightly open, and there was movement inside. Hoping Lin was all right, Korra positioned herself so she could see; and the first thing she noticed was Lin's pale, exposed back, because her light skin was covered in massive bruises. Nearly her entire right side looked covered in the mottled blue to brown of ruptured tiny blood vessels.

"You're hurt!" Korra burst out, pushing the door aside.

Lin scrambled to cover herself with her fallen robe. "Spirits, Korra! Have you ever heard of knocking?"

"But you're covered in bruises!"

"Why aren't you in bed?" Lin demanded.

"Why aren't you?" countered Korra. "Look at you! It looks like it hurts to move!"

"They're just bruises." Lin tried to get her robe back on without exposing herself at all to Korra.

"Just bruises, huh?" With a flick of one hand, Korra pulled a stream of water from a lavabo in the corner.

"Korra, you shouldn't be bending. You shouldn't even be standing up. Last night, I was afraid you would slip into a coma."

Korra ignored Lin's admonition, choosing to kneel next to her on the floor and press the hand surrounded by water to Lin's wounded side. The water began to glow palely with healing energy. "I might be young, but I'm not stupid. And I'm one of the best waterbending healers in the Southern Water Tribe. Four of your ribs are cracked."

"Korra…" Lin's protest was cut off when she felt something quite new: the sensation of Korra's waterbending directing her chi to the damaged tissue. It was slightly painful, but mostly it tingled and felt somewhat cold. Lin clenched her teeth to keep from moaning. "It feels like…a healthy version of bloodbending."

"It kind of is. Hang on…I've only done a few bone heals, and one of your ribs is snapped clean through." Korra sighed. "I can't believe you came after me when you were still so hurt."

"It's not as if you're so special," Lin snapped, being harsh to cover up the lie. "I thought if I found you, I would also find my men. Not that it mattered. Amon had already taken their bending."

"Lin, I know you don't…you don't like me. But you did care about…about finding me, right?" Korra sounded hurt. To her credit, there wasn't even the slightest hiccup in the flow of energy knitting her bones back together. Spirits, it felt good; much more rejuvenating than even the best Jasmine Dragon tea blends.

"Of course I was concerned about you. You're the avatar. It would have been a disaster if Amon had taken your bending," said Lin crisply, struggling to keep her voice even.

"Well, yeah, I'm the avatar, but…that never seemed to matter to you." Lin felt Korra's healing touch move to her upper right arm, where another bruise began shrinking under the silvery glow. "I mean, when I first got here, you made sure to treat me just like an ordinary citizen." Lin could tell that Korra was trying and failing to inject some levity into her voice. "I guess…I guess I thought…maybe you cared about me. Just for me." Lin heard Korra's voice catch. "Tarrlok said…Tarrlok said I was just a half-baked Avatar anyway. It was only just when he had me in that metal box that I was finally able to get what Aang was trying to say to me from the spirit world, and I could have gotten out if I could metalbend…" Lin's arm healed, Korra's hands fell away. "So yeah, I guess I'm a terrible avatar and I'm no good otherwise."

Lin could see out of her peripheral vision that Korra was openly crying now. Lin could have kicked herself. She didn't want Korra to know about her perverse interest—Korra didn't need anything else causing her distress—but she certainly didn't want to hurt Korra's feelings. She shrugged her robe back on and rested a hand on Korra's shoulder. "Both of those statements are completely untrue. The idea that I don't like you is also untrue."

Korra looked up at Lin with tear-filled eyes. Tear-filled, wide, blue eyes. Damn those beautiful, expressive things. "I thought…"

Lin let her hand trail down to Korra's and squeezed gently, like what had happened after she had rescued Korra in the pro bending arena. "I at first thought that you were spoiled and self-centered. I was wrong." Lin paused. "I see now that…you are very brave. And determined, and…so much stronger than I had previously thought."

Korra blinked back some of her tears. "Really?"

"Really." Lin walked back toward her bedroom, still holding Korra's hand. "You shouldn't have bothered to heal me. You should be in bed, and not bending." Korra followed.

"Katara taught me how to heal. If you have powerful healing skills and see somebody badly injured, you should help. And those bruises…I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Get back into bed."

Korra sighed and climbed back under the covers. "Are you still hurt at all?"

"Just some more bruises."

"Do you mean real bruises or the 'I actually have a broken bone but I'm going to pretend it's just a bruise' bruises?"

"Both." Lin smiled grimly. "I may have a bone bruise."

Korra made a moue. "I should be able to heal that. Where?"

"I was thrown rather…roughly on my left side. You saw the broken ribs."

Korra paused to take a sip of her tea. "So…what, your shoulder is hurt?"

Lin clenched her teeth. She wanted Korra to keep healing her, of course…but she didn't want to know what unfortunate reaction she might have to Korra touching her in any way that approached intimacy. Korra healing her ribs had been bad (or rather, incredibly pleasant) enough. "No, it's…it's just a bruise on my hip bone."

"Okay, lie down. I'll take care of it."

Fighting mixed feelings of apprehension and anticipation, Lin lay down on her right side. Korra crawled over to her and started undoing the tie on Lin's robe.

"What are you doing?" Lin pulled away.

"I can't heal you through your robe," Korra protested.

Lin closed her eyes. "Fine," she grumbled.

Korra untied Lin's robe and, much to Lin's horror, pulled the sleeve off so the garment fell completely off of the former police chief's body. Lin tried to cover herself with her arms—she had never readjusted her breast bindings, and they were beginning to fall off—but mostly she felt her heart pounding wildly at the thought that Korra was actually undressing her.

"Come on, Lin. I'm trying to heal you and we're both women. You don't have to hide from me. Besides, I pretty much saw everything when we were in the washroom."

"_Korra_!"

One look at Korra's face told Lin that she was joking because she was still trying to recover from getting her feelings hurt. Korra avoided Lin's eyes, though, instead choosing to pull back Lin's loose trousers from her bruised hip bone. "Ooh, that looks painful. Hang on…" Korra pulled the water from her cup of tea, sifting out the tea leaves to press her hands to Lin's hip. Lin bit back a groan as the cool, soothing healing energy seeped into her wounded bone. "Better?" Korra slid her palm up Lin's side, over the ribs she had healed earlier. "Oh, I think I left a couple bruises…sorry…"

Lin's eyes drifted shut as Korra's soft, therapeutic touch glided over her skin. The pleasantly odd sensation of being healed with waterbending dissipated, leaving only Korra's strong, lightly calloused hand repeatedly stoking her side. After wondering briefly if she had fallen asleep and was dreaming, Lin asked, "Korra, is there any medicinal purpose to this?"

"Huh?" Korra asked distantly.

"What exactly are you doing?"

"Oh…" Korra's hand came to rest on Lin's shoulder. "Sorry…I just…I guess I got distracted." Korra pulled away and lay down. "I guess it's kind of…stupid…"

Lin sat up hesitantly, pulling her robe up to her chest just in case Korra was still looking at her. Korra was lying on her side, facing away from Lin, eyes closed seemingly to keep more tears from falling.

"Korra?"

"At least I can still heal."

"What do you mean?" Lin crawled over to where the young avatar lay. "Did Amon try to take your bending?"

"No, I just…" Korra curled into a ball. "I used to think I was so good at bending, and that I was all ready to be the avatar…but Tarrlok…he picked me up with bloodbending, and it hurt, and I was so scared, and I thought I'd never see Republic City again…I couldn't do anything! If I could have gone into the avatar state, I could have stopped Tarrlok from bloodbending me, and if I could have listened to Aang earlier, I would have known Tarrlok was Yakone's son and made sure somebody stopped him…"

"Tarrlok is Yakone's son?"

"Mm-hmm." Korra began to sob openly. "I was so scared."

Lin lost a minor battle with her self-control; she pulled the ornaments from Korra's hair and sifted her fingers through the loose dark mane. "Korra, if it means anything…I was afraid for you too. I wanted to find my men, I did, but it was the knowledge that you were missing that made me get up and come after you even though moving hurt. I lied before. You are special."

Korra rolled onto her other side, turning the full force of her trembling blue gaze on Lin. "Really?" she whispered. "I mean, you're so strong and amazing, and…and you're so beautiful…"

That took Lin aback. "Wait…what? Everyone thinks I'm…far too harsh, and impossible to be around, and…and certainly not beautiful."

Korra reached up and touched her fingertips to the scars on Lin's cheek. "I think you're gorgeous. If…if these cuts on my face end up scarring and it looks like your scars, I'd be honored."

Lin's throat went dry. "Korra…are you certain you aren't just reaching out to me because you were so afraid for your life yesterday? And because you're feeling a bit…insecure…at the moment?"

Korra reached up to wrap her arms around Lin, but since Lin refused to be drawn into the embrace, she ended up with her hands clinging to Lin's shoulders. "I'm sorry. I know I'm acting all over the place. I just…okay, I want to be close to you because I'm scared and you make me feel safe."

"What would you be doing if you were with your friends?" Lin countered gently.

"Probably asking for a group hug." Korra smiled tremulously. "Come on, Lin, can I please have a hug? I know it's not really…your style." Lin did give hugs. Rarely, but she did. Since Korra had asked, Lin gathered Korra into her arms. With strength that Lin knew Korra possessed but had not expected her to use, Korra flung both arms around Lin and pulled her down to the mattress. "Mmm…" Korra nuzzled her face into Lin's neck. "You're so strong…and cozy…"

Lin squirmed, trying to adjust to the sudden shift in position. "Korra, are you sure this is appropriate?"

"I don't care," Korra mumbled. "I need a hug right now, okay?"

Lin sighed. Korra seemed to care more about being comforted than Lin's indecent state of dress. Korra might regret it later, but right now it did seem that she needed to be held and told everything was all right. So Lin let Korra cling to her, and even allowed herself to run one hand through Korra's hair and lightly scratch her scalp. Lin was not the type to say everything was all right, though, so instead she chose to say "If Amon so much as touches you, I'll cut his balls off and stuff them down his throat."

Korra laughed, but she still sounded pained.

"Are you all right?"

"I don't know if I can do this, Lin," Korra mumbled. "I think Aang might be telling me I need to enter the avatar state to defeat Amon. But I'm not even close to that! I haven't even visited the spirit world! I'm a lousy avatar. Tenzin's right, I should be meditating and trying to get in touch with the other avatars so they can help me instead of pro bending. I can't do this myself."

"Tenzin said that?" Lin knew perfectly well that Tenzin could be harsh, but outright meanness was unlike him.

"No, just that I need to be able to meditate. And he was starting to be okay with me pro bending, but I was all in his face with 'I need to learn modern styles of bending, not how to commune with the spirit world' and I was wrong." Korra's arms tightened around Lin. "And now all of Republic City needs me—benders, non-benders, everybody—and I'm just so scared. I'm no match for Amon! I can't do this alone!"

"You aren't alone, Korra," said Lin softly.

"But I can't communicate with the other avatars!" Korra sobbed.

"That isn't what I mean." Lin paused to let Korra compose herself a little. "Remember what I said the night we discovered the factory under the Sato estate?"

Korra sniffled. "That…that you had to find your metalbending cops outside the law?"

"That, yes…but also that I would have to take down Amon without the restrictions of following the current laws as well. I've been dedicated to the justice system for…ages. But when Amon showed up, he operated in a way that…well, it calls for an entirely different—and much smaller—set of rules. And the justice system doesn't have time to catch up. So while I was furious at you for your reckless vigilantism at first…"

"Hey!"

"…there is a time and a place to set aside the system in order to stop someone who is truly evil. And that, I fear is what we'll have to do to stop Amon. And yes, Korra, I said we, not you."

"Really?" Korra whispered, pulling back from their embrace enough to look Lin in the eyes.

"Really. If I have to break half the current laws of Republic City—laws I helped write—to protect you, I will."

For a moment, Korra simply looked at Lin with an expression of unsubtle gratitude. Then, without warning, she lunged forward and kissed Lin soundly on the mouth.

For a few moments, Lin indulged her, stroking her hair and even kissing her in return. As desperately as Korra needed affection at the moment—and as long as it had been since Lin had kissed a beautiful woman—Lin didn't want Korra to end up doing anything she regretted. If they were going to take on Amon together, there couldn't be any…wrinkles in their relationship.

Korra whined as Lin gently pushed her away. "What? Am I a bad kisser?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I want to kiss you." Korra tried to pull Lin into another kiss, but Lin turned her head away.

"I mean, why do you want to kiss me? I'm fifty years old, Korra. I'm almost three times your age. You think you're stumbling as the avatar? I'm the woman who failed Republic City. After all my mother did for this city, I have allowed it to fall into shambles. Had I stayed with the police force, Tarrlok would have had me forced out and I never would have found my men. Since I left, Tarrlok immediately began treating non-benders like second-class citizens, and it didn't matter that I went after my men because Amon had already taken their bending. I may be in good shape for my age, but you should be interested in some pretty young pro bender who isn't staining her family name. Or perhaps you're only coming after me because I have the same color eyes as the Sato girl and you're pretending I'm someone I'm not. Either way, I fail to see how you can bring yourself to even look at me right now." The words tumbled out of Lin's mouth like a waterfall, completely separate from what she had planned to say. Lin Bei Fong was not one to wallow in self-pity or seek consolation from anyone. The last time she had asked someone to comfort her when she was upset was when she had gone crying to her mother when Tenzin had ended her hopes for ever having a relationship with a man and she had consigned herself to a life of secret, unfulfilling trysts with other women.

"Oh, Lin…" Korra breathed, reaching up to stroke Lin's face and tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear. "You're amazing. When we were on top of the pro bending area fighting the Equalists…I didn't notice until later when I started thinking about it, but…I don't think I can think of you as old after seeing you move like that! You're such an incredible fighter, and you saved my life twice…" Before Lin could stop her, Korra leaned up and gave her a tiny kiss. "You were hard on me at first—I mean, I started trying to airbend in anger at a picture of you—but…well, I was wrong about you too. I don't think you failed Republic City. You tried. Amon was just…just sneakier. I don't think anyone could have stopped him."

"Well, that wouldn't help you airbend. Airbending is too peaceful a discipline to be motivated by hatred."

"I never hated you." Korra kissed Lin again. "And I always…"—another kiss—"…thought you were…"—and another—"…beautiful."

"Korra…" Lin sighed. The next time Korra leaned up to kiss her, Lin didn't protest or pull away; instead, she turned another little peck into a deep, warm kiss, feeling as if she were sinking into the young avatar's embrace like a stone into a pond. She even dared to lightly close her teeth over Korra's lower lip, earning a little sigh of pleasure from the girl. Korra's hands were pulling at her hair, sliding over her shoulders and back.

"I love your muscles," Korra whispered against Lin's mouth. "I don't think I could ever get tired of touching you."

Korra hooked one of her legs over Lin's hip; Lin took the opportunity to squeeze the steel-hard muscles in the back of Korra's thigh. Korra moaned heavily into Lin's mouth and Lin backed off immediately. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Korra trailed a hand down Lin's throat, suggestively moving below one collarbone. Lin stopped Korra's hand with her own and kissed the knuckles lightly.

"What exactly are you hoping happens between us tonight?"

Korra blushed and smiled a bit coyly. "I…I don't know. Whatever you're okay with. I was kind of hoping you'd take the lead, since I've never done this before."

"You really think I would jump to take advantage of a seventeen-year-old?"

"It's not taking advantage of me if I'm asking you for it," Korra nuzzled Lin's neck, leaving a stream of tiny kisses.

"Are you certain you haven't done this before?" Lin's eyes closed of their own volition again.

"Am I actually good at this?" Korra left a kiss behind Lin's ear.

"You are a good kisser, yes."

Korra squeezed Lin tightly. "So, um…can we just keep kissing and see what happens?"

"What does kissing have to do with you being afraid of taking on Amon?" Lin queried, raising one eyebrow.

"I just want to forget about that for a while." Korra kissed Lin's shoulder.

"I would love to keep kissing you, Korra, but…I think perhaps we should establish some ground rules."

Korra groaned. "Are you sure you resigned as police chief?"

"You've never done this before, right? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Korra thought about that. "Okay…yeah."

"Is there anything you know you would never be comfortable doing? Something common enough you want to point it out?" Lin stroked Korra's hair and waited for a response.

"Um…I don't…I don't really know much about this stuff. I don't even really know what two women can do in bed. So there's not really anything I want to say no to, because…yeah, I just don't know enough. I guess…I don't ever really want to not be facing whoever I'm in bed with. It sounds kind of less intimate."

Lin had no problem with that. "All right. How about…is there anything you would like to try?"

Lin felt a little shiver run through Korra's body. "Well…you make me feel really safe, and really comfortable. I guess I'm just…a little shy about asking."

"Hmm. Well, be aware I will refuse anything particularly serious tonight. You really should be resting, and physical intimacy can put quite a strain on the body…depending on how it goes."

"What about after tonight?" Korra whispered.

Lin immediately knew that Korra was asking about much more than bed business, but she ignored that aspect of the question. "I can still be your first, if you want. When you fall in love with someone and want to know how to please her, I can teach you."

"What if I just want to make love with you?"

"You won't," said Lin dismissively. Korra was stunning—perhaps the most beautiful woman Lin had ever kissed—but any desire Lin had to sleep with her was being quite effectively quashed by the idea that Korra did not seem like the type of person to maintain an interest in relationships. One couldn't live for fifty years and not begin to pick up on the way people's minds and hearts worked. Lin knew perfectly well that if she and Korra tried that sort of thing, she would initially refuse to fall in love with Korra, Korra would be insistent and idealistic and eventually wear Lin down by being so damn adorable and kind of heart, and then Korra's interest would fade. Korra would be too concerned about hurting Lin to break the relationship off, and then everything would explode in some terrible way; say, Lin would try to surprise Korra with a piece of gold or silver metalbent into a rose after a pro bending tournament, and she would catch sight of Korra in the changing rooms with a cute little 20-year-old pro bending fangirl's hands up her shirt. Or, worse, Korra would cry out a name that was not Lin's when they were in bed together. Tenzin all over again, except this time Lin would have no claim to Korra in the first place. "I know right now you're afraid of what may happen to you and the city when the day comes that you have to fight Amon. You might think that we will work more effectively together against Amon if we're a couple. But I doubt you will want anything from me romantically or sexually after tonight."

"How could I not?" Korra stroked the curve of Lin's hip. "I'd be lucky to be yours."

"We would have to hide our relationship. You seem to be very close to your friends, and you might have to keep it from them. Tenzin would…well, he would be furious with me, and likely he might struggle with teaching you airbending if the sight of you makes him think of me defiling you. And there are reasons I haven't had a lover in years. I work too hard. I'm terrible at relationships. I know you want someone to rely on and give you solace because being the avatar is stressful, but I cannot be that person. I can try to protect you. I can fight alongside you." Lin paused. "I think…I think you would be better off relying on your friends for support, and you might find some beautiful women to spend time with and distract you from your duties. I can't do either for you, at least not in the way you deserve. If you want me to comfort you tonight, fine, but anything long-term would end in misery for both of us."

Korra didn't speak again for a while. "But…but…can't we try? Please? I think you're selling yourself short. And…okay, I never really pictured myself being with somebody for a really long time, but…that was before I met you."

That sentence set off alarm bells in Lin's head. Love did not change people, even assuming Korra could somehow fall in love with Lin, and the idea that Korra thought anyone could be some kind of magical lover who changed the way she formed attachments was a bad sign.

"All right. But it's a horrible idea for you to start a relationship at this time, with the Equalist threat looming. If after we defeat Amon you still have an interest in me, then yes, we can try a relationship."

"Really?" Korra sounded breathless with excitement. Her alacrity nearly broke Lin's heart. Korra could defeat Amon—Lin truly believed that—but she was young, and barely ready. Lin would have to help. And after the way she had failed Republic City, helping Korra bring down Amon would be her only redemption…but she could never go back to the police force, not after what she had done to rescue her (former; oh, spirits, that still hurt) metalbenders and what she was prepared to do to keep Amon from harming Korra. There was nothing left for her, which was why she was willing to do anything and everything to protect Korra and her beloved city. She could already hear the announcement in Shiro Shinobi's distinctive voice: "After what appeared to be a truly brutal fight between the infamous Equalist leader known only as Amon and the spunky youngsters who now call themselves 'Team Avatar', avatar Korra has emerged a bit battered, but victorious. A grievously injured Amon was taken into custody today, and his followers have surrendered. Folks, it is a bright day for Republic City! This bright day has a bit of a dark cloud, though, ladies and gents; the mangled body of disgraced former police chief Lin Bei Fong was also recovered from the scene…" As a heroic sacrifice, she might be able to offer some inspiration. Korra would be upset, but she was much more resilient than she thought; she would bounce back quickly. And if Lin was lucky, perhaps she would be remembered with a statue like her mother, where Korra could leave a bouquet on the anniversary of her death for a few years until she stopped missing her. There were fates worth than death, of course…and although Lin's blood ran cold at the thought, she knew that if it were required of her, she would even give up her bending.

"Oh, Lin…" Korra interrupted Lin's stream of morbid thoughts by kissing her again. "That sounds so awesome. So…so can I ask for one thing from you tonight? Not going all the way. I think I would be too tired." She smiled wanly.

"Ask."

"Lin, will you…um…will you touch my chest?" Korra was blushing again.

"I will, if that is what you want," Lin murmured, sliding a hand beneath the pale blue top Korra was still wearing. She thought about asking Korra to undress, but she had always found something about touching a lover beneath her clothes pleasantly erotic. She felt Korra tremble as her palm curled gently around the girl's right breast, stroking her through the cloth bindings.

"Mmm…Lin…"

Lin moved closer, kneeling so she had both her hands available. If she was never going to be intimate with Korra again, she could at least make an effort this time. She pushed Korra's shirt up to just below the girl's collarbones, returning to her caresses on Korra's breasts. She watched Korra's face carefully as she changed her gentle ministrations from petting to kneading, heard the girl's low moan as her nipples hardened beneath Lin's hands.

"C-can I take my bindings off?"

"Of course."

Korra sat up and pulled the cloth wrappings from her chest. Her breasts were full and luscious, the perfect size for Lin's hands. Lin had never been with a woman from the water tribe, but she had guessed correctly that Korra's dark skin belied the fact that her nipples were a warm brown color. Korra looked up at Lin nervously, as if she feared Lin would be displeased with her.

"You have beautiful breasts, Korra." Lin went back to cradling and massaging the aforementioned parts of the young avatar's body, this time able to savor the delicious softness of the flesh she was touching. She couldn't help but smile as she simultaneously flicked each of Korra's nipples with her thumbs, earning another soft noise of pleasure.

"Spirits, Lin, that feels so good…"

"May I use my mouth?" Lin heard a touch of seductiveness slip into her voice and wondered where the spirit world that had come from.

"Yes, please!"

Reaching up to carefully stroke Korra's injured cheek, Lin replaced that hand with her lips. As Korra had never experienced this kind of intimacy before, Lin kissed the nipple a few times before introducing her tongue, using its top to circle the erect nub of flesh. Korra squealed as if Lin were kissing and licking a much different place. Lin felt Korra's hands tangle themselves in her hair.

"Oooh, how did you get so good at this?"

"Practice." Lin took Korra's nipple into her mouth again, suckling rhythmically, allowing her teeth to very lightly brush the sensitive skin.

"Mmm!" Korra arched her back, her hips bucking unexpectedly. "Oooh, Lin, you're making me so…so…oh, I don't even know, but I'm aching for you…I need you between my legs. Please. Please, I need you."

Lin sat back on her heels and Korra whined at the loss of contact. "Korra, I told you I would have to refuse. You need to rest. I have no idea what medical problems sexual climax not long after being terribly blood-bent could cause, but I don't want to hurt you."

"Lin! Please!" Korra begged, squirming as if the arousal she was experiencing were torturing her.

"I would love to pleasure you. But you deserve to have a much more special first time than this." Lin kissed Korra's forehead. "Try to calm down. The feeling will pass."

"That's just mean!" Korra whined.

Lin chose to ignore that. "I know your body has gotten excited. It feels like you need release. But tomorrow you'll be glad there was no…full-blown bed business."

Korra made a disappointed mewling sound and curled up into a ball again, pressing her legs together.

"I'm sorry." Lin lay down behind Korra, fitting her body to the younger woman's. Korra was still quivering with excitement. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't know you were so…er, responsive."

"It's okay," Korra mumbled. "I get it. It just feels awful right now."

Lin reached over the girl's body to tenderly cover one of her breasts with a hand, a gesture meant to soothe rather than titillate. "At least you enjoyed what I was doing."

"It was amazing. I can only imagine how good you are at sex." Korra sighed.

"You won't always have to imagine." Lin felt a stab of guilt at the lie, but she supposed there was a slim chance that she would survive the battle with Amon and Korra would still want her afterward. If she lost her bending…well, that would be another story. Korra might try to take care of her, and Lin didn't know if she'd be able to refuse.

"Well…thank you. You certainly did what I asked!"

Lin noticed that Korra had mostly stopped shaking. "Would you like some more soup? Your heart was working fairly hard just now. I don't want to be responsible for causing the avatar any more problems with exhaustion."

"I'd rather cuddle."

"All right." Lin kissed Korra's hair. "Just let me know if you want anything."

"You mean besides you between my legs?"

"_Korra_."

Korra sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just…nobody has even made me feel like that. It's hard to just lie here and let it go."

Lin could feel that Korra's nipple was soft and placid beneath her hand. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I guess, but I don't know if 'better' is the right word. Being excited like that was kind of nice."

Lin slid her hand down to Korra's waist to pull her close. "It is getting late. Would you like to sleep? I can bring you something more comfortable to sleep in."

"Okay." Korra yawned. "Yeah, having sex might have been a bad idea. I really am sleepy. And I've only been awake a few hours."

"Being bloodbent as extensively as you were can be very harmful. You're lucky you're only exhausted." Lin gave Korra a small squeeze to demonstrate that she has glad for Korra's luck and the fact that she hadn't been badly hurt.

"Can I change into…whatever it is you have for me to sleep in?"

"It's just a tunic. It should fit you all right." Lin kissed the top of Korra's head and got up. She rifled through her drawers until she found the sleeping tunic that she thought might fit Korra well. It was a pale blue that was very Water Tribe-esque. Korra was already asleep when Lin brought the tunic back to her, so Lin laid the garment down next to the sleeping girl, re-dressed herself, and retreated to her sitting room. She pulled one of her various books on the mental discipline involved in earthbending from one of her various bookshelves and devoted herself to reading it, hoping to get the memories of what had just passed between herself and Korra out of her head. A few hours later, the sun had set completely and darkness had fallen. Having finished several chapters, Lin re-shelved the book and went back to her bed, where Korra appeared peacefully asleep, although at some point she had put on the sleeping tunic, and her clothes lay in a pile on the floor.

Lin hesitated before climbing into bed beside Korra. As much as she wanted to sleep beside the young avatar—Lin had always found something incredibly soothing about sleeping in the same bed with someone you trusted—she didn't exactly trust herself. It hurt knowing Korra wanted her and she couldn't do a damn thing about it, either to dissuade her or to encourage her. But in the end, Lin lay down facing away from Korra, keeping at least a foot of distance between the two of them. Unfortunately, Korra hadn't been asleep; she turned over and scooted towards Lin, fitting her body to the curve of how Lin lay, trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. "Lin?"

Oh, no. "Yes, Korra?"

"I, um. I have this...I guess it's kind of a fantasy. I'm not really sure if it's sexual or not."

"Oh?" Lin asked warily. What the spirit world could that mean?

"Can we...can we cuddle? But without clothes?"

Suddenly Lin understood Korra's confusion. Being close to Korra's undressed body might be titillating under some circumstances, but Lin was too tired and too conflicted and too damn miserable to do anything about her fickle desire for Korra. Lin turned over to give her somewhat resigned answer. "All right. But...don't look at me."

Even in the low light, Korra's grin was unmistakable. She yanked off the tunic Lin had given her and wriggled out of the small pair of short pants that were popular as underwear in the Water Tribe. Lin tore her eyes away from the avatar's lush body and pulled the bedclothes over herself to hide before discarding her own robe. Korra wrapped her arms around Lin's waist and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Liiiiiin!" the girl whined in protest. "What's this?" Korra tugged at Lin's breast bindings.

"That would be my bindings. You said without clothes. You never said anything about taking off my undergarments."

Korra pulled on the cloth wrappings again, this time with the obvious intention of removing them. Lin's heart kicked into overdrive. "That's not fair. I mean, you got to kiss my breasts and everything."

"Yes, well, I enjoyed that." Lin knew she should stop Korra from continuing to unwrap her breast bindings, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"You're beautiful, Lin. Can you please take this off? Please? I just...I just want to feel close to you."

Lin sighed. Korra was too irresistible for her own good. "Fine." Lin sat up and, with some minor assistance from Korra, removed the cloth covering her breasts.

"Oh, Lin, you really are so beautiful..." Korra lightly brushed the back of one hand over Lin's chest; Lin recoiled.

"Didn't I tell you not to look?"

"I can't help it!" Korra protested. "You're perfect. It's like you're an oil painting of the most beautiful woman I could ever imagine."

Lin was about to accuse Korra of lying, but after she had learned seismology, one of the first things Toph had taught her was how to tell if people were lying by their heartbeat and other minute parts of body parlance. And Korra was telling the truth.

"I know you're being truthful, so...have you gone mad? Or did Tarrlok damage your eyes?"

Korra lifted up one hand and lit a tiny fire, no bigger than a decently sized candle flame.

"Korra! Are you trying to set my bed on fire?"

"My eyes are fine." Korra sat up and lightly stroked Lin's cheek with her free hand. "I love your eyes in this light. You know, there aren't many water tribe people with green eyes...they look like gems." Korra's fingertips brushed over Lin's mouth. "You have beautiful lips, too. I've been wanting to kiss you for ages. Your whole face. Your whole you. You're just...you're gorgeous."

Lin found herself blinking back tears. "Korra, please extinguish that flame so I can hold you."

This time, Korra wasn't the only one clinging. The gesture was mutual. Lin gripped Korra so tightly she was almost afraid of hurting the girl, but Korra didn't complain; she nestled her head under Lin's chin and dropped a few kisses on her neck. Lin's brain struggled for words to describe the sensation of Korra's skin pressed against her all over, but the only think of one single, inadequate noun: "bliss".

"Ohhh, Lin," Korra breathed. "I would make love to you if you wanted. There's...I don't know if there's anything I wouldn't do to make you happy."

Lin's protest about Korra being too tired for bed business died in her throat. What came out of her mouth was something that had nothing to do with her conscious mind and everything to do with the powerful feelings swelling in her chest. "Even if Amon tortures me to within an inch of my life, I'd never let him harm you. I would do anything to protect you."

"What happened to 'protecting Republic City is all I care about'?"

Lin knew Korra was teasing, but she couldn't help but reply seriously. "I care about protecting Republic City. I care about protecting benders, including Tenzin's family and your friends." She paused to run a long, gentle caress down the length of Korra's well-muscled back. "I do not care about protecting you only for Republic City anymore, or only because you are the avatar. I will protect you because I care about you. About Korra, the amazing young woman in my arms."

Korra pulled back form their tight embrace to kiss Lin full on the mouth. "I'm so tired. I never felt so scared as I did when Tarrlok bloodbent me, and I know Amon is coming...but you make me feel safe."

Lin could barely keep her eyes open, but she had to reply. "I will always keep you safe, Korra."

* * *

A/N: While I'm kind of proud of myself for calling the Heroic Sacrifice...*sniff* T_T From now on, June 16th shall go down in history as Lin Bei Fong day. Pema giving birth? Korra learning to be patient? Asami being way more petty and stroppy than her character deserves (except, okay, Mako's being insensitive)? Zuko's son(?) Iroh showing up? No, this episode was ALL ABOUT LIN.


	2. Part 2

Wounds Both Old and New

Part Two

Summary: After her escape from Amon, Team Avatar and Tenzin decide to allow Korra to stay briefly with former police chief Lin Bei Fong in order to be near the hospital and hide from Amon and the Equalists. After Korra wakes, an unlikely bond begins to form.

Disclaimer: You know I don't own The Legend of Korra because if I did, Lin and Korra would be together, or at least bffs. I do think that, canonically, Lin cares very much about Korra.

Pairings: Lin/Korra ("Korralin")

Author's Notes: So I thought it made sense to have a conclusion to this after what happened in the finale.

* * *

Lin Bei Fong should have been happy.

The airbenders were safe. Amon was gone. Peace in Republic City had been restored. There was even talk of her being re-hired as chief of police. And her bending was back. She tried not to let on how much it mattered to her that her bending had been returned to her. She was sure only other benders would understand how traumatic it had been to have her bending removed. For the split second it had taken Amon to remove her bending, it had felt like her veins were on fire, as if her soul were being wrenched out through her spine. And after her bending was gone...the earth did not speak to her anymore. It was like walking about on the cold corpse of a lover. Worse, it felt like part of her was gone, as if she had lost her ability to speak or taste. While she had temporarily been the same as a non-bender, she felt that it was analogous to there being two types of people—say, some with two arms, some with four—and someone with four arms had had two amputated without anesthesia. Did it not still hurt? Was it not still a massive adjustment? Feeling the earth breathe under her bare feet was like being alive again. When Korra had returned her bending...Lin didn't have words for it. She, of course, couldn't remember what it was like the first time, but when she felt the spiritual energy flowing from Korra's healing hands back into her body, she couldn't help but think that it felt like being born.

But none of it was thanks to her. After Amon had blocked her ability to bend, she had been locked away in an Equalist prison. She had tried to escape. Almost made it out once, but she had been electrocuted into unconsciousness. It had been Tenzin who found her and woken her up, and immediately after that she had found out that her sacrifice had been for nothing. Tenzin and his family had been captured anyway. Korra's bending was gone. When she had seen Korra without her bending, empty-eyed and dejected, she had barely been able to keep from sweeping the girl into her arms and telling her she wouldn't rest until she had tortured Amon into revealing how to reverse what he had done to Korra.

But now Amon was missing. She had failed Korra.

The greatest evidence that she had failed Korra was that she was dating the Fire Ferret boy. Lin hadn't spoken to Korra since the girl returned her bending. That was when she had suspected something was wrong. After she had tested out the return of her bending, Korra had just made a little bow. No embrace. Not even any eye contact. She had found out from the Sato girl—Asami; a bright, courageous young woman who obviously didn't deserve any of the awful things that had happened to her—that Mako had left her for Korra.

Lin knew she shouldn't have been surprised. She had actively wanted Korra to lose interest in her. Any relationship other than friendship between them could only end in disaster. So why was she so damn...sad that Korra didn't want her anymore? Perhaps because Korra had seemed so warm and sincere, almost loving, the one night they were together. At least Lin had refused to sleep with Korra that one night.

Lin told herself she would be doing this even if she didn't still have frustrating, lingering feelings of attachment to Korra. But as she stood on the deck of the ferry taking her to Air Temple Island, she couldn't unravel the knot in her stomach. Nobody knew she was coming, so there was nobody there to greet her. That was just as well. Even without her uniform, the White Lotus guards recognized her and let her in.

Korra did a very good impression of being happy to see her. "Hey, Lin! Wow, you look so pretty. You should wear earthbender robes more often."

_Don't lie to me_, Lin almost said, but instead she got right to business. Not to mention the fact that she couldn't detect any trace of deception from Korra despite the obvious lie rattled her. Lin knew she looked like absolute hell. "Have you returned anyone's bending since you did mine?"

Korra shrugged. "I wish. The city council is trying to set up some kind of registry for all the benders that were attacked by Amon so I can do a certain number of bending returns each day. I'm still...really working on the avatar state. The White Lotus think it might be too stressful for me to return too many people's bending in one day."

"Well, did they give you a limit?" Lin asked crisply.

"Um...no, not yet."

"My officers have been without their bending for too long. I wasn't fast enough to stop Amon, and...I want them to have their bending back." Lin could only pray that Korra didn't sense the multiple meanings of her not being fast enough to stop Amon.

Korra's face lit up; Lin had to look away. _Damn those beautiful eyes of yours, Korra_. "Yeah, sure! I've been feeling really useless lately since they won't let me return any bending."

"Good. Most of them are down at the station right now."

"Can we go now, then?"

Lin told herself Korra didn't actually sound happy to spend time with her. She was glad to be useful, that was all.

"If Tenzin will allow it."

Korra shrugged. "Eh, if he doesn't, I can sneak out."

Lin chose not to reply to that. It turned out that Tenzin was all right with Korra leaving to return the bending of several of the former metalbending policemen. Korra and Lin left together and, much to Lin's chagrin, nobody came with them. Worse, Korra wanted to ride her polar bear dog. It was faster than walking, but Lin had to hold on to Korra. It would have been torture to wrap her arms around the girl, so she held on to the sleeves of Korra's jacket. Korra, of course, mentioned it: "Lin, are you really uncomfortable holding on to me after what the two of us did?"

_You little fool_, Lin almost said, but instead she replied "I'm fine like this, thanks" as coldly as she could manage. Let Korra have a taste of her own medicine.

Most of Lin's police force had been at the station since their bending had been taken away. Lin wouldn't have said something so maudlin out loud for any sum, but the metalbenders in her precinct were very much like a family. After they lost their bending, most of them needed each other more than they needed anyone outside the police force. Lin hadn't been there for them, either. She had visited them once after breaking them out of the Equalist base. Lately, she seemed to be failing everybody who had once cared about her.

The remnants of her metalbending force seemed genuinely glad to see her, despite the fact that many of them still had that hollow look in their eyes that seemed to haunt every bender who had had their bending removed by Amon. All of them still called her "Chief".

"I have a surprise," Lin announced. "Avatar Korra has learned how to reverse the false bending removal practiced by the terrorist Amon. She has restored my bending."

There was polite applause, even a few cheers. Korra made a little gesture of both obeisance and acknowledgement that Lin didn't recognize; she assumed it was a Water Tribe thing. Lin continued. "I have brought her here to do the same for you."

That got some real cheers; apparently they thought having their bending returned was cause to break decorum. Lin couldn't help but agree.

Korra spoke up. "I'd love to restore your bending, but I'd appreciate it if you guys could, you know, not spread it around that I've giving back bending. The city council wants to organize bending restoration, but..." She turned to Lin and smiled. That smile made Lin feel as if someone had kicked her in the stomach. "Chief Bei Fong didn't want any of you to have to be without bending any longer. And, yes, I said 'Chief'. I think she'll always be the Chief in our hearts. Right?"

The most resounding cheer yet, then. Lin bowed politely, trying not to think of how she didn't deserve their loyalty.

They were part of an elite police force, so naturally they lined up quickly and efficiently—and in alphabetical order—to receive their bending back. Lin watched their faces carefully as Korra's healing touch returned a part of them they had come to treasure. Some of them looked stunned when their connection to the earth was reestablished. Some of them looked overjoyed. Some of them looked relieved. Soon enough, the ones who had received their bending back were practicing, extending and controlling the metal coils in the gauntlets some of them had left lying around (none of them were wearing their armor; it was immensely difficult to get off and on without metalbending). Lin prayed none of them would ask her to join in, but she was not so lucky.

"Chief, you have your bending back, right? Show us!"

That was one of her captains, an immensely talented young man who had idolized Lin from the first day he signed up for the metalbending task force. When Korra had restored his bending, he had looked so elated he might cry. Several of the others looked at her expectantly, to polite to echo the request but obviously agreeing.

Lin's throat went dry. She could think of no legitimate-sounding reason why she might decline, but she was not about to tell her men about her current state. "I...I would prefer not to at the moment. I will see all of you soon." She bowed one last time and exited hastily, feeling the curious stares on her back.

"Lin!"

Lin closed her eyes in agony. Korra was following her. Lin ignored the young avatar, but Korra caught up with her.

"Lin, what's wrong?" Korra laid a hand on Lin's shoulder; Lin shrugged it off. "You're acting weird."

"You would dare to ask me that?" Lin hissed. "I have thought of you as many things—irresponsible, impetuous, hotheaded—but I never knew you were such a fool."

Korra looked hurt. _Good_, Lin thought savagely. "Come on, Lin, talk to me. What's bothering you?"

"Well, since you want to know so terribly, I feel completely worthless at the moment. I couldn't stop Amon from de-bending my police officers. I failed to save you from Tarrlok. I failed to defend the airbending family twice; in fact, I had to be saved by a small boy who was bending his bowel movements. I gave up my bending for Tenzin's family, for you, and the airbenders were still captured and you still had your bending taken away. You restored my bending, but I can't help but feel I don't deserve it back."

"Oh, Lin..." Before Lin could stop her, Korra reached out and hugged her. Lin told her arms not to wrap around the girl in return; they did not listen to her. Spirits, it felt good to hold Korra. Lin had forgotten how beautiful and strong Korra's body was, how comforting it was to hold her. "You tried so hard. Tenzin told me about how you took down a whole airship all by yourself. You're amazing."

Lin tried to let go of Korra and failed. Instead, she rested her cheek on top of the girl's head. Korra, thinking she was succeeding in comforting Lin instead of causing her turmoil, began stroking Lin's back with one hand. "It's okay, Lin. I've got you."

That falsity was the impetus Lin needed. She shoved Korra away from her. "Perhaps worst of all, I have been played for an utter imbecile."

Korra blinked. "You mean, by Amon when he wanted to shut down the pro bending arena?"

"Are you really so blind?" Lin burst out. "Either you're a complete idiot or you think I am. I mean by _you_. I don't even know why I'm surprised. I knew you would regret begging me to be your lover. I only said I would be because I wasn't expecting to survive the final showdown with Amon. Tell me, Korra, when I was captured by the Equalists, did you think they had killed me? Did that thought please you because you wouldn't have to deal with the awkwardness of telling me you were ashamed that you'd expressed interest in me?"

"No, not at all! I was worried about you!" Korra insisted, tears springing to her eyes.

"But you did lie to me," Lin snapped.

"I wouldn't lie to you!"

"'I don't know if there's anything I wouldn't do to make you happy', wasn't it?" Lin's imitation was cruel and uncannily accurate. Korra began crying in earnest when she heard it, but Lin pressed on. "If you had any consideration for my happiness, any at all, you wouldn't have thrown yourself at the Fire Ferret boy and not spoken to me after you chased off Amon. So what were you trying to do that night? Did you want the bragging rights of having seduced Lin Bei Fong? Or were you just addled from Tarrlok bloodbending you?"

"Lin, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. It's just that Mako approached me right after I'd gotten my bending back, and I was so happy..."

"Mako." Lin spat out the name as if it were poisonous. "He pursued you even though he and Asami Sato were together, didn't he? And you kissed him even though you had promised yourself to me." Lin sniffed. "Well...I suppose the two of you are perfectly matched. I wish you joy."

Lin turned to leave, but suddenly Korra's arms were around her waist and the girl's face was pressed between her shoulder blades. "Please don't leave me," Korra begged.

"You can't leave a place you've never been." Lin tried to pry Korra's arms away from her.

"I screwed up, I know, but I'm sorry! I never meant to hurt you! I love you, Lin!"

With a cry of mingled pain and sorrow, Lin tore loose from Korra's embrace and slapped the young avatar across the face. "Don't insult me with your lies! You don't give a pigeon-rat's ass about me, and you never did. How could you? How could you possibly have any interest in an old, plain has-been when you have a young firebender panting at your heels? Even though he seems to have a wandering heart...never mind that I would have been loyal to you."

"Lin, I know you can use your seismic sense to tell if people are lying, so you know I'm telling the truth! I love you. I just...I love Mako too. I didn't know it was possible, but I can't choose between the two of you. I mean, with Mako, we're two clueless teenagers trying to figure everything out and trying to hold on to each other, but you're completely different. You're accomplished and kind of intimidating, but you make me feel safe and special." Korra paused to pull a fistful of water from the air and heal her cheek, where a bruise had been burgeoning. Lin felt a stab of guilt. "I was scared to talk to you after Mako and I got together. I thought you'd be mad."

"You're damn right I am!"

"I was so happy when you showed up at the air temple today. I was hoping we could talk and get back together."

"We never. Were. Together," snarled Lin through clenched teeth.

"Are you just mad at me because of Mako, or are you mad because I screwed up your bending? Why didn't you tell me earlier that you couldn't metalbend?"

Ah. So it had been that obvious. "Because there is nothing you can do. My metalbending will return in time." Lin closed her eyes. "It could be worse. After Tenzin, I could bend nothing at all for two months. Not even pebbles."

Korra looked mortified. "Wait...so I didn't mess up when I gave your bending back? You can't metalbend because...because I hurt your feelings?"

"You might say that," said Lin icily.

"Lin, I'm so sorry. I know I screwed up. I should have told Mako I needed to talk to you before saying I'd go out with him." Korra was crying so hard Lin could barely understand her.

"So you could let me down gently?" asked Lin bitterly.

Korra replied miserably, "No, so I could make sure we were together. And then if Mako wasn't okay with that, then I wouldn't go out with him. But I want to be with both of you. I want both of you in my life. I want to date both of you. Is that...a thing? I feel like I could be with more than one person at a time and love all of them."

Korra was starting to make sense. Lin took a deep breath. "Yes, some people are like that. It is often frowned upon, but Republic City is fairly progressive and it is sometimes condoned."

"I was so dumb. I don't want to lose you. I keep thinking about the night I stayed with you, how I got to kiss you and everything you did for me...it kills me to think that might never happen again."

Lin was barefoot—she had been since Korra restored her bending—and she could feel that Korra was telling the truth. She leaned forward to kiss the cheek she had slapped, even though it was damp with tears. Korra pulled her into a crushing embrace. "Please give me another chance, Lin. I know I'm a dumb seventeen-year-old who has spent all her time training and has no idea what she's doing with her feelings and her love life. But I do know that I care about you, and I want you to teach me metalbending and drink tea with me and be the first person I sleep with..."

Lin kissed the top of Korra's head. "I will give you a second chance. But I hope you have learned something. Someone who doesn't understand that you are seventeen and still learning about relationships would not have given you a second chance."

"Oh, Lin..." Korra dropped several kisses on Lin's neck. Lin shivered; Korra must have remembered that Lin very much enjoyed having her neck kissed.

"Oh, right...you like this, don't you?" Korra dropped a kiss on the curve where Lin's shoulder rounded into her neck.

"You manipulative little thing...I already said yes."

Korra immediately pulled back, looking wounded. "I'm sorry."

"No..." Lin touched Korra's cheek. "It's my fault. After so many years of cleaning up the scum of this city, I suppose...I've become fairly jaded. You're young, and more innocent than I keep assuming."

"By which you mean I screwed up," said Korra with a rueful smile.

"Perhaps." Lin kissed Korra's forehead, linking her fingers behind the small of the girl's back. "I know you are having to learn a tremendous amount in a short time and at a young age. And..." Lin took a deep breath. "If you want me to be there for you during this difficult time, then I will be."

Korra bit her lip shyly. Lin thought that she would never cease to be surprised at Korra's diffidence in matters of sex and romance. "Can I kiss you?"

In response, Lin tilted her head forward slightly, her eyes closing as Korra's lips met hers.

Korra's hands ran hungrily up and down Lin's back, tracing the curves and planes she loved so much. She moaned against Lin's mouth as she felt Lin do the same, fingertips running over her spine. They shared several deep, warm kisses, and Korra could have sworn she felt the tip of Lin's tongue brush hers. She had never been soul kissed before and found herself enjoying it immensely.

"I missed you," Korra whispered. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." Lin gathered Korra into her arms, stroking the girl's neck.

"Mmm...muscles..." Korra continued petting Lin's back.

"I hope that's not all you missed about me."

Korra nuzzled Lin's shoulder. "Okay, I missed your muscles, but I missed a lot more. I missed your voice. I missed your lips. I missed the way you're harsh with me, but you can also be kind of sweet. I missed how comfortable I am with you. I missed how safe I feel when you're holding me."

Lin sighed. "Point taken. Or...points, rather."

"Hey...Lin?"

"Yes?"

"As cozy as you are, we kind of left your metalbenders waiting."

"Right...because they are metalbenders again, thanks to you." Lin released Korra from their hug and slipped a hand into hers. They walked back to the precinct, where the policemen were still waiting.

"Is everything okay, Chief?" asked the man who had asked Lin to demonstrate the return of her bending.

Lin slid into a metalbending stance and made a swift, knife-like movement with both her arms, elbows locked in place for half a second before her forearms snapped into place. All the metal cables in the room shot out of their gauntlets and into the air; Lin made a lightning-fast series of hand motions and the cables intertwined with each other into an elaborate pattern that looked like a chandelier, decorated with loops and spirals. Lin carefully lowered the contraption to the floor to polite applause, many of the cops grinning so hard their faces might break.

"This isn't everyone," said Lin, looking around. "Where's Hyung? Where's Nandi?"

"Officer Nandi has been with her husband since she lost her bending," said the captain. "Hyung is staying with his sister. Yap, Wu, and Riko are in their parents' houses, and Sima is still in the hospital."

Lin looked around. "That's almost everyone. Where is Kapu?"

Several of the officers looked either down or away. Nobody answered.

"What's wrong? Where is Kapu?" Korra heard concern creeping into Lin's voice and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Chief..." One of the men Korra had not heard speak before stood up. There were tears in his eyes. "Kapu thought his bending would be gone forever. It was too much for him, and he...he...jumped in front of a Satomobile. He was killed instantly."

Lin paused only for a moment. "So it was a suicide."

"Eyewitnesses saw him jump, yes, ma'am." A tear rolled down the officer's face. "His father was contacted in the Northern Water Tribe. He's on his way to Republic City now."

Lin nodded slowly. "After his parents get here, I'll make sure there's a memorial service. And if the city council won't fund it because of how he died, I'll pay for it myself."

"Thank you, Chief." The young officer was crying openly now, but bravely keeping his voice stable.

"Qannik, may I speak to you privately?"

The man nodded. Lin led him out of the room with a hand on his shoulder. They came back after a few minutes.

"I should be going now," said Lin. "Captain Gu Xiang, make sure you contact me when Hyung, Yap, Wu, Nandi, Riko, and Sima are available. I'll bring the avatar back to return their bending as well."

"Yeah, I want to help," Korra piped up.

Lin and Korra left. Korra held Lin's hand, and when they climbed onto Naga's back, Lin wrapped her arms tightly around Korra's waist and pressed her face into the girl's hair. "Lin?" Korra asked gently. "Who was that guy? Qannik? I mean, I know he's one of your officers, but..." Korra trailed off.

"Mo Li Kapu and Sook Qannik are cousins. Were cousins. Mo Li's father and Sook's father grew up together in the Northern Water Tribe. They moved to Republic City, and they married a pair of sisters who are both earthbenders. Sook's mother died last year of consumption and his father moved back to the North Pole. He was an only child. Now that Mo Li is dead, he has no one." Korra thought she felt a sob shake Lin's body. "Why didn't I get there in time? I let that monster take their bending. If Mo Li hadn't had his bending removed..."

"Lin, honey..." Korra picked up one of Lin's hands and kissed it. "It wasn't your fault."

"That isn't going to bring Mo Li Kapu back."

"You seem to really care about your officers," said Korra softly.

Lin was quiet for a moment before speaking. "I told Sook to go home to his family. I thought...perhaps he had friends, or other cousins. He told me that he was with his family." Korra felt Lin shake her head. "I just told you that. I've never told anybody that."

"Told anybody what?"

"That my precinct...it's like a family. You must be awfully special, Korra."

"I won't fail you again," Korra promised softly.

"I don't have the best track record either in terms of not failing you." Lin tightened her arms around the girl.

"Do you want me to say something at Kapu's memorial service? You know, as the avatar?"

Lin tried to kiss Korra's shoulder, but the polar bear dog ride was too bumpy. "I would like that. There's such a stigma around suicide. Mo Li was a good man. A good officer. He deserves to be remembered properly, not just by how he died."

"I do hope you get reinstated as police chief. Saikhan turned out to be such a chicken-lizard."

"I never saw that in him." Lin sighed. "But I wouldn't have expected Mo Li to kill himself after losing his bending either. I'll have to write a speech..."

They had reached the ferry dock.

"Oh...I'm sorry, Lin. I didn't ask where you wanted to be dropped off. I remember you live near the hospital, but I was still kind of out of it when I went back to the air temple the morning after the night we spent together."

"It's all right. I wanted to talk to you." Korra dismounted from Naga's back. Lin was glad to see that Korra didn't patronize her by helping her down, but after Lin was steady on her feet, Korra wrapped her arms around Lin's waist and kissed her. "I should go. When can I see you again?"

"I should come to Air Temple Island. We should talk more about...whether or not we'll go on dates in public, who we tell about our relationship...that sort of thing."

"Okay." Korra kissed Lin again, ignoring the strange looks they were garnering. Korra sincerely hoped that nobody would happen to mention what they were currently seeing each other to Tenzin. "I'll talk to Mako as soon as I get back."

Lin swallowed hard. "Korra...what if Mako doesn't want you dating two people at once?"

Korra shrugged. "Well, he's not a very understanding boyfriend, then. But he should be able to listen to me if he does want to be my boyfriend." She softly touched Lin's scarred cheek. "I'm not losing you again. I won't give you any more of these, real or...or emotional. I promise."

Lin leaned forward to touch her forehead to Korra's. "Earlier, I said we never were together, so...that would mean there was nothing to lose. But...you know what my feelings for you did to my bending. You never lost me."

"Oh, Lin..." Korra nestled her face against Lin's throat. "I knew you were tough and that you really cared about your officers despite that...but I had no idea you could be such a big softie."

Lin pinched one of Korra's arms so hard she yelped. "Don't get too used to me being nice. And for the record...I act like this with exactly nobody else. Nobody. Not even when I was with Tenzin."

Korra leaned back to look solemnly at Lin's face. "I...I don't really know what to say. I guess...I'm glad you're as comfortable with me as I am with you."

Lin kissed Korra's forehead. "We're getting a lot of looks. We can talk later."

Korra nodded. "I love you."

Korra might as well have frozen her throat with waterbending. Lin rested a hand on the girl's neck, lightly stroking the skin with a thumb nail. "Korra...I..."

"You don't have to say it. How about I call you when I know Tenzin isn't around?"

Lin nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

That night, Mako surprised Korra by taking her out to dinner. He didn't have much money, so it was just a fairly nice noodle bar. She thanked him several times. They talked over their noodles, mostly about how much they missed pro bending, and how Korra wished Amon had been captured; Mako tried to comfort her by telling her there was nothing she could have done. Mako could tell Korra was upset about something; he thought it was Amon's escape, and kept insisting Korra had been brave and amazing and she would catch him someday. By the time they left, Korra was near to tears. Mako insisted on paying for both of them and led her out with an arm around her.

"I guess it's not Amon." Mako pulled her into a hug. "What's bothering you?"

Korra pressed her cheek to Mako's chest. "Mako...you know I love you, right?"

"Of course! I love you too." He still sounded puzzled.

"Have you ever thought about dating two people at once?" Korra forced the words out.

"No..." Mako took a step back and looked at Korra's face. "What are you talking about?"

Korra took a deep breath. She knew she was terrible at choosing the right words, but she would have to try. "I'm talking about...the fact that...I know you love me, and somebody else...also loves me."

Mako's eyes grew enormous. "Wha—? Are you breaking up with me?"

"No!" Korra cried out. "I want to stay with you! I just...don't want to have to choose between the two of you. I want—I need—both of you to be part of my life. That's why I asked about the...the dating two people thing. Because I want to date you, and I want to date...this other person."

Mako shook his head. "Who is this other person? It's not Bolin, is it? He would have told me..."

"No. It's...it's not Bolin."

"Well...is it Asami? She told me she was kind of interested in girls."

Korra bit her lower lip. "It's Lin. I mean, Chief Bei Fong. Lin Bei Fong. It's her."

Mako stepped back in shock. "Bei Fong? Korra...are you serious? She's too old for you!"

"I know!" Korra burst out. "She tried to convince me of that. But the night I stayed with her, after Tarrlok bloodbent me...she was so nice to me, and I saw she was hurt, and I healed her ribs...we ended up kissing. She didn't really want to. I mean, she wanted to, but she thought it was a bad idea."

"Korra, wait. Slow down. What happened? This was before we got together?"

Korra nodded. "Yeah. Like I said, the night I stayed with her, after I escaped from Tarrlok. I was so scared, and...she made me feel safe. We figured out we both had feelings for each other. She told me she was too old for me, and that she was scared she wouldn't be a good girlfriend. But I kind of...I made her promise that she'd go out with me if Amon was captured. And...I mean, she told me she'd do anything to protect me. She's still really torn up Amon took my bending and she wasn't there to protect me."

"And I'm not?" Mako shouted. "I was right there! I could have stopped Amon. I tried, but I couldn't. I watched him take your bending."

"I'm not trying to say...I just...I know you care, I'm just saying she...she was prepared to die for me. I can't ignore that."

"Korra..." Mako laid his hands on Korra's waist. "I get that she's probably lonely, but you don't have to feel...pressured. Should I talk to her?"

"I don't think you get it, and I don't think I'm doing a very good job explaining it. I told her I'd be with her, and then I got together with you. I basically cheated on her. She was heartbroken. She was too upset to metalbend today until I...um...apologized. And I love her too. That's what I'm trying to say. I love you, and I love Lin. And I want to be with both of you."

Mako looked more distressed than Korra had ever seen him. "Why didn't you tell me about this the night we got together? I know you had just gotten your bending back, but you still should have told me."

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry. I feel like I broke Lin's heart and I don't want to break yours too. I just...I love both of you."

Mako pinched the bridge of his nose. "Korra...this is a lot to take in. I mean, you dating me and somebody else? And that somebody else is a 50-year-old woman?"

"I love both of you," said Korra lamely.

Mako turned away, his arms folded. "This is weird, Korra. This is really weird."

"So, do you...do you, like, not want to be together now?" Her chest tightened.

"Just...just answer a question for me, okay?"

"Anything!" Korra blurted.

Mako turned back to her. "Do you want to be with both me and Bei Fong because I alone am not enough, or not good enough?"

"No," Korra whispered. "No, Mako, that's not it at all. I'm in love with both of you. Really in love. That's what it is."

Mako scratched the back of his head. "Let's go back to Air Temple Island. Korra, I...I still love you. I'm not sure what I think about you dating me and Bei Fong. Give me the night to think about it, okay?"

"Okay. Whatever you need."

Mako put a hand on Korra's shoulder and squeezed. "Thanks. And thanks for telling me what's going on."

"You're welcome."

* * *

"Let him not be remembered by how he died, but how he lived. To reiterate, because I cannot say this enough, he was a loyal, hardworking officer and a good man, and the many years he spent living are much more important that what he did in the few seconds leading up to his death. So when you think of Officer Mo Li Kapu, think of his devotion to his city and his family...both his family of blood and his brothers and sisters in yellow and gray, the Republic City police force. Think of something he did to touch your life. Think of him as a hero. And above all...do not think of him as a coward." Lin gripped the sides of the lectern tightly. "Mo Li's parents have requested that in lieu of sympathy gifts, donations be given to the Wounded Warriors fund, which provides benefits for police officers who were forced to retire due to injuries. Thank you." Lin got down from the lectern and walked back to her seat as Saikhan got up to give closing remarks.

Korra was sitting next to her; when Lin sat down, Korra kissed her cheek.

"Korra, not in public," Lin whispered.

"You spoke beautifully," Korra whispered back.

"Thank you."

After Saikhan dismissed the assembly, Lin knew there would be people who wanted to speak to her regarding Kapu's death and the speech she had given. She walked back up to the front, near the lectern, so stand next to Saikhan, who would surely be giving handshakes and such as well. They exchanged terse greetings; Lin still couldn't believe how weak-willed the man had turned out to be, and hadn't forgiven him for that. Usually Lin was an excellent judge of character. Her throat grew dry with something like anxiety as the well-wishers lined up; interacting with strangers had always been a weakness for her. She felt Korra lightly touch her elbow and couldn't help but feel stronger. She resisted the urge to put her arm around the girl's waist. She was wearing her metal uniform—not her insignia, because she hadn't worn that since her resignation, but dammit, she'd still earned the right to wear her police force armor—so she wouldn't have felt much. But it would have helped regardless.

Lin soon lost track of how many hands she shook, how many people she thanked when they pledged to donate to the Wounded Warriors or complimented her speech. There weren't even many people who spoke to her. There was still too much of a stigma surrounding suicide. When the stream of people stopped coming, Lin turned away. Korra followed her, calling after her. When they were out of sight, Lin stopped walking, allowing Korra to turn her around and hug her tightly. Since Lin was wearing her armor, it was not a comfortable hug, but it was still a blessed relief.

"I'm not going to say 'I know it's hard' or anything dumb like that. I can't imagine what you're going through. So I'm just going to hug you."

Lin couldn't persuade her mouth to form words, so she settled for kissing the top of Korra's head. Eventually she felt ready to go back, and she and Korra walked back to the dissipating crowd. Lin noticed that Korra was holding her hand, but she couldn't bring herself to care that she had forbidden Korra to do that in public.

Mako was waiting for Korra. He made a slight, polite bow to Lin. "I heard your speech, Chief. And I think it's really admirable that you paid for the service yourself."

"Thank you," said Lin, trying not to let any resentment creep into her voice. At least the boy was being civil. And according to Korra, he had come around to the idea of sharing Korra with Lin after only a little persuasion. "It's good to know someone not directly connected to the force appreciated it."

"Korra, Tenzin wants you back at the air temple. He says there are some important airbending lessons he wants you to get to today."

As Mako spoke, Lin surreptitiously retracted the sole of one of her armored boots. She could feel that Mako was lying. He just wanted to get Korra away from Lin. So Lin touched a small, formal kiss to the back of Korra's hand, trying to spare her the awkwardness of kissing her ill-fated side project in front of her number one lover, but Korra ruined that by giving Lin a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later, Lin."

"Good luck with your airbending lessons," said Lin bleakly. She might as well let Mako think he had gotten away with his lie. She turned away quickly, not wanting to see Korra under the arm of someone else. She found herself thinking that she couldn't begrudge Mako his little fib; after all, he had seen Lin and Korra holding hands.

"Chief Bei Fong?"

Lin recognized the voice; it was Asami Sato. She turned to face the girl, trying to look more composed than she felt. "Good afternoon, Miss Sato."

"Asami. Please."

Lin nodded. "Asami, then. Do you need something?"

"Korra told me about the service. I'm sorry to hear about your officer. Your speech was really...touching."

Lin smiled bitterly. "Enough people have told me that that I might start believing it."

"And I saw you with Korra."

Lin prayed the thought of "oh, _damn_" that ran through her head did not show on her face.

Asami looked nervous; she picked at her nail polish. "You aren't...thinking of leaving Korra, are you?"

The question surprised her. She had expected Korra's friend to be looking out for her and, as such, trying to persuade Lin to leave her alone. "No, of course not. I'd rather lose my bending again. Why?"

"I couldn't sleep well last night. I went to the kitchen to get myself a cup of tea, and Korra was there. Apparently she'd had a similar problem. She looked really upset. Frightened. So I asked her what was wrong, and she said she had had a nightmare. She dreamed that you had been killed by the Equalists. It seemed like...well, I'm probably reading too much into it, but she seemed really afraid of losing you."

Ah. So Asami was concerned for Korra, but not in the way Lin had thought. "That might be it, but more likely she was thinking of an angry comment I didn't mean." Lin ran a hand through her hair. "Damn sharp tongue getting me in trouble again. I'll have to apologize to her for that."

Asami nodded. "Good. I know Korra loves Mako, but...I think he still has some growing up to do before he's really ready for any relationships. He spent so long being almost like a parent to Bolin he never got a chance to do a lot of the...the growing up most teenagers experience."

"And you got to suffer through the growing pains," Lin pointed out.

Asami's shoulders slumped. "I'm a little afraid that Mako will do something to Korra like he did to me. He wasn't there for me when my father turned out to be an Equalist, and Korra needs someone right now. She needs you."

Lin shook her head. "You did not deserve to be treated in such a way, particularly after what you had to sacrifice to join forces with 'the new Team Avatar'."

Asami sighed sharply. "I wasn't aware...you knew that much."

"Korra told me what happened. And as distracted as I have been by Korra's various troubles, I am not entirely unobservant. I was a detective before I became chief of police, after all."

Asami wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "Korra also tells me you give good hugs."

Lin was not naturally affectionate, but Asami clearly needed support. "Not often. But I will make an exception for a friend of Korra's." Lin opened her arms and Asami walked into the embrace, resting her cheek against Lin's shoulder. Lin's armor was a bit of a hindrance, but Asami managed to find a comfortable way to stand while draping her arms around Lin's neck. It was very different from holding Korra; there was no sexual tension, no romantic spark. Just the closeness of a friend. It was comforting.

"I understand heartbreak. If you ever need to talk, perhaps over a cup of tea, you may seek me out." Lin touched Asami's hair lightly and let her go.

Asami managed a smile. "I'm partial to lapsang."

"I have quite a stash of lapsang souchong."

"Let's just make sure Korra doesn't end up jealous of me."

Lin smiled thinly. "I think she understands I have eyes only for her."

"And I'm rather set on steering clear of romantic entanglements for a while." Asami adjusted her jacket. "I should go. Mako and Korra are probably already back at Air Temple Island, or at least on a different ferry than the one I catch."

"Take care of yourself, Asami."

"You too...Lin."

* * *

Korra's head lay in Lin's lap. Lin was sipping from a cup of oolong tea made from a blend Asami had given her, and Korra was attempting to read a scroll on airbending that Tenzin had assigned her for homework.

"Lin?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you teach me metalbending?"

Lin sighed. "Korra, honey...we've talked about this. You need to focus on airbending right now."

"Why can't I learn airbending and metalbending at the same time?" Korra protested.

Lin put down her cup. "Several reasons. Airbending is an entirely new element for you, and you've been having trouble accessing it, am I right?"

Korra bit her lower lip. "Yes. I can produce it now, but it's harder. I accessed it because I needed it to protect Mako, but now...I can't reach that point again."

"So you need to work on that. Also, Tenzin is teaching you airbending. If you start learning metalbending from me, what's to stop you from being distracted entirely from airbending?"

"Nothing," said Korra with a grin. "You are very distracting."

"That's just my point. It's important that you learn airbending. And if you start training with me, I'm concerned Tenzin will start to suspect something."

"Can't you at least introduce me to the badgermoles?" Korra whined.

"I would love to introduce you to the badgermoles, but that will happen when I'm about to teach you my mother's style of earthbending because that is the best basis for metalbending. I will teach you metalbending after you have become a more proficient airbender."

"Liiiiiin..."

"Don't whine. It's unflattering. And every time you act a decade younger than you actually are, you shake my faith in the fact that this relationship can work despite the age difference."

Korra sniffed. "I'm the avatar. I've lived tons of lives. You're a toddler compared to me."

"Right. Because you've had such an easy time communing with the rest of the avatars since Aang returned your bending," said Lin sharply.

Korra was quiet for a moment. "Yeah, I guess I need to be thinking about jumping off a cliff before I can call upon the spirit world. Aang has been able to talk to me directly since then, but I haven't been able to reach a meditative state deep enough to talk to him."

"That comment of mine was unnecessary." Lin bent over to kiss Korra's forehead. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't belittle your spiritual difficulties. Perhaps I can't teach you metalbending right away, but I might be able to help you with meditation."

Korra stroked Lin's cheek. "I just don't get airbending. I wish you were an airbender and you could teach me. Pro bending helped me more than Tenzin ever did with airbending. I want to work with you. I want to work on something I have a prayer of doing right."

Lin sighed. Korra could be incredibly immature, but at least she was able to calm down and think straight when it really mattered. "Is Aang helping you with airbending at all?"

"As much as he can. It's hard, with me being such a spiritual failure." Korra closed her eyes. "I almost wish he hadn't given me my bending back. Then maybe I could have learned how to contact the spirit world and gotten better at airbending and figured out how to energybend, and I wouldn't feel like...like...I cheated..." Korra sighed, tears beginning to seep out from behind her eyelids. "I guess...since I was wondering, you know...what it would feel like to die, and what it would like to be a permanent part of the spirit world...that's how I called Aang. Wishing I were dead was the most spiritual I'd ever felt."

Lin brushed away a few tears from Korra's face. "I should have gone after you that day. You looked so devastated."

"'Devastated' is a good word." Korra smiled tremulously. "I heard you talking to Katara about restoring my bending."

"I was worried about you." Lin paused. "Have you felt like that since Aang restored your bending?"

"Felt like what?"

"Like you wanted to end your life," said Lin softly.

Korra sat up and climbed into Lin's lap. "No, I haven't. I mean, I've felt...disheartened...because I'm having so much trouble communicating with the other avatars. But never that...that low."

"Does Tenzin know how depressed you felt when you lost your bending?"

"No." Korra nestled her face against Lin's throat. "You're the first person I've told."

"You should tell him." Lin stroked Korra's hair. "He's trying to help you become more spiritual. He should know you were considering permanently joining the spirit world before you were able to call Aang to you."

Korra kissed Lin's neck. "I wish you were my mentor. Can you talk to Tenzin for me?"

"And let him know you revealed something so personal to me? He is likely already suspicious that you've spent so much time here."

"We're going to have to tell him sometime," Korra whispered.

Lin wrapped her arms around the girl. "I'm not looking forward to it."

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

"_Korra_."

"We haven't cuddled since the night I escaped from Tarrlok. I miss it. I miss feeling that close to you." Korra wasn't whining, but she sounded close to begging. "Please, Lin?"

Lin sighed. "All right. You may stay here tonight. But unless you finish reading that scroll, you'll be sleeping on the couch."

"What!" Korra leaned back from their embrace, pouting.

Lin touched Korra's cheek. "Korra, Tenzin only agreed to let you study here because he thought I would be tough enough on you to force you to finish your reading no matter how much you complained. I know we have to tell Tenzin about our relationship soon, but I'd rather he find out about us that way rather than you mysteriously spending time with me and getting no airbending study done."

Korra nodded sadly. "Okay." She shifted position so her head was in Lin's lap again and took up her airbending scroll.

Lin stroked Korra's hair appreciatively. "If you want, I can help you with some meditation techniques tomorrow morning. We might as well prove there's a good reason related to your training for us to spend time together."

"One more kiss?" Korra turned her pleading blue eyes on Lin full force.

Lin groaned. "Damn those beautiful eyes of yours." She leaned over and gently kissed Korra several times.

"If you weren't such a good kisser, maybe I wouldn't pester you to kiss me so often." Korra paused. "Hey...Lin?"

"Yes?"

"I can't stop...thinking about something."

Lin was about to tell her to focus on her scroll, but Korra looked so distressed that Lin decided to humor her. "What is it?"

"The night we first kissed. You said...you said if we tried anything long-term, it would 'end in misery for both of us'. Do you still think that?" Korra was biting her lips with anxiety.

Lin took a deep breath. "I...I don't know. But I do know I used to be utterly convinced a relationship between us couldn't work. And you have shown me otherwise."

Korra reached up to touch Lin's face again. "I'm scared, Lin. I really, really care about you. I don't want this to...to end badly."

Lin felt a twinge of guilt. If she were to be completely honest, she would tell Korra that she still thought the girl would lose interest in her before too long. "I won't break your heart."

"I know you won't. But I screwed up so bad when I kissed Mako after I'd asked you out, or whatever you call what I asked you for. I'm worried about hurting you by accident again, and losing you for good this time."

The hour was growing late, but despite the dimming light, the power Korra's quivering eyes held over Lin was undiminished. "Stop worrying." She stroked Korra's hair. "I said I'd be with you even though you are young and still learning. I said I'd be with you because you are young and still learning, remember? If you make another mistake, and you explain yourself to me...we'll work through it."

Korra sat up and wrapped her arms tightly around Lin's neck. "Thank you."

Lin kissed the top of Korra's head. "You're welcome. Now get back to your studies."

"Okay. Hey, Lin?"

"Korra, can't you focus for five seconds?" Lin sighed.

"I love you."

Lin trailed her fingers through Korra's hair. "Korra..."

"You don't have to say it back." Korra turned her head to the side and kissed Lin's thigh.

Lin bent over and kissed Korra between her eyes. "You don't have to stop saying it. I'll say it back. One day."

"Take your time, honey." Korra turned her attention—finally—back to the airbending scroll. "Now let me finish reading so I can cuddle the hell out of you."

Shaking her head and smiling, Lin picked up her cup of tea. It had gone somewhat lukewarm. She could have asked Korra to heat it, but for some reason, she was perfectly content with her tea. She had Korra in her lap—studying, for once—with the promise of the girl sleeping in her arms later. With Korra at her side, lukewarm tea was something she couldn't care less about. She had always scoffed at the idea of a person feeling stronger because he or she was in a relationship, but being with Korra...well, it put her at ease. She was afraid, yes—apparently she and Korra shared some fears about the fate of their relationship—but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy what lay ahead for them.

* * *

A/N: OKAY, MUSES, that's it. This is a two-shot. Except for the series of short story-type things taking place later in Korra and Lin's relationship. Which will be called "Scars and Bandages". And should be up soon. *headdesk*


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